Pages

Thursday, 12 February 2015

We call herbal bath powder for kids nalangu maavu in Tamil. This custom of making nalangu maavu has been followed for many years. When I was pregnant, me and my grandmother had fun time collecting and making the bath powder at home. When I was pregnant I was not very good in identifying the herbs like I am now, so the whole herb collecting was done by a long time worker of us. He has been with us from the time I was born and he does not know to read and write but he has an amazing knowledge of local herbs. We make the bath powder slightly different from what is sold in the shops, we make it with lot of herbs. The powder made this way is a very effective antiseptic and prevents the child from falling ill often and it completely prevents skin diseases. This bath powder is also very very aromatic and after bathing with this powder, the children will be smelling of this powder all day long. There is no set measurements for the recipe, even if you add more of one herb it will not harm the skin. I have given all the herbs that we use for making the bath powder, try to choose at least 2 to 3 varieties of the herbs from this list. The herbs are appakovay leaves (kedrostis foetidissima), karpooravalli (plectranthus amboinicus), avarai leaves (lablab leaves), avarampoo (tanner's cassia), marjoram, marikolunthu (artemisia pallens), thiruneetru pachai (ocimum basilicum) and arugampul (bermuda grass). The dry ingredients are wild turmeric or kasthuri manjal, white turmeric or poolan kilangu, karboga arisi |babchi (psoralea corylifolia) and ordinary turmeric. You can find the information about all these herbs in the blog except thiruneetru pachai, marikolunthu and karboga arisi, I will try updating more information about them in the blog soon. I have given the measurements for the dry ingredients and you can get all the dry ingredients in ayurvedic shops. Dry them under hot sun separately and dry the herbs separately till crisp and powder everything together. For boys we don't add turmeric as it helps shed the body hair, replace the regular turmeric and wild turmeric in the recipe with green gram dhal for boy babies. As you can see from the ingredients, each and every herb in the ingredients list are powerful antiseptics. They heals and protect the skin from infections due to dust and pollution. I made a huge batch of this powder and I was using only this powder for my son till he was 2 to 3 years old. This powder does not strip the skin of natural oils and is very gentle on the skin.

METHOD:
1. Take the herbs that you have chosen and spread it on a plate to dry under hot sun. Don't heap it like me, spread each leaf separately so it dries faster.

2. Take the dry ingredients and dry them under hot sun separately. The ingredients are white turmeric, wild turmeric and regular fat turmeric and karboga arisi | babchi

3. Grind everything together in a dry mixer while the ingredients are still crisp from sun drying, sieve to get a fine mixture.

NOTES:

We add all the herbs I have given in the list, if you can't get all of it try adding at least 2 to 3 herbs from the list.

Replace only the wild turmeric and regular turmeric with green gram dhal for boy babies and add the white turmeric.

Try making the powder during hot summer months when you get plenty of sunlight.

When drying cover it with thin mesh to prevent dust settling on the herbs.

This powder can be used daily instead of soap for bathing the child.

Be very very careful while grinding as the mixer or the machine should not have even a tinge of spiciness in it, else this powder will irritate the babies skin. I used to have a separate small mixer jar just for grinding ingredients for my son.

I ground the powder in our local flour mill, if you want to make a huge batch it is better to grind it in flour mill. But insist that it has to be ground in a machine that is used for grinding flour...

Regular use of this powder will gradually reduce the body hair growth in girl babies.

Add a handful of each herb given for this amount of dry ingredients, if you double the recipe add 2 handfuls of each herb.

104 comments:

Very nice post Ramya.I have bought Maramanjal from my friend (She is frm Kerala and Maramanjal is available only in Kerala it seems). I dont know how to use it. I have once heard a lady saying that it removes unwanted hair. My bath powder is going to get over. so I am planning to add it to my bath powder. but i dont know whether i can do it! please advice me. Thanks in advance

Shruthi,Maramanjal is getting rare because the trees are being cut down for its medicinal properties and it has a slow regeneration rate. Since maramanjal heals all the skin related diseases, I would suggest adding maramanjal instead of regular manjal in the bath powder recipe. Some remedies for children even call for internal consumption of maramanjal, so please include the maramanjal for your bath powder without any worries...:)

For young children the best way to even out the skin and prevent blemishes is to start using homemade bath powder daily instead of soap. You can also rub her skin daily with fresh Aloe Vera gel, it is very safe and gentle to be used on young children and it will help even out the skin tone very effectively....

Ramya, I am really very happy that I found a right person at the right time. my girl is 3 yrs old. her skin is very dry. In both the cheeks there are small dots kind of thing. but she don't feel itching. But in Tamil we use to say "sora soranu" iruku. I am using only kadalai maavu and payatham mavu with kasturi manjal for bath. But still. please provide me some solution.

Hi Revathy,Try this remedy for her cheeks: Take a fresh Aloe Vera leaf and rub the inner gel on her face daily. Aloe Vera gel is very gentle on the skin and can be used for babies even daily. My son had dry skin too and I always used Aloe Vera for him with good results and you can use this powder safely for your daughter :)

My 3 months old boy baby's skin is becoming darker and darker day by day..his hands and legs are darker compared to his face..why is it so? Is there any remedy? Can u suggest any bath powder for improving his complexion? Also suggest which oil is best for massaging?

Hi Yamini, Try massaging his skin with pure Aloe Vera gel, it is very gentle and perfect for his skin. Regarding bath powder, you can use either this nalangu maavu or homemade besan. As for bath oil, try the homemade coconut oil from the blog, it is very very pure especially if it is made from organic coconuts...

Hello Ramya and thanks for the beautiful guide!I just came across your website two days back and couldn't resist to make this powder for my two years baby girl.The one herb in your list is called maxican mint (Plectranthus amboinicus). Can I use regular mint instead? And can I add Neem leaves as another herb.

Hi Ramya, I tried this powder... But in mixie it came out like coarse powder not a fine one. especially herbs are not grinded fine. is it okay to use as such?? And due to this hot summer my 3 yr old girl got prickly heat rashes all over the body. please suggest me some solution...

Hi Revathy, Try to grind the mixture while it is still hot from sun drying that way it will grind up very fine and also try to sieve the mixture before using. Give her lot of body cooling drinks and fruits in summer like palm fruit, buttermilk and bajra. And don't forget to give her oil bath weekly twice, it will greatly prevent heat rashes. To treat existing heat rashes rub pure sandalwood bark on a coarse stone with pure homemade rose water and apply over the rashes, it is a gentle and effective way of treating heat rashes in children....

I have come across your site today and i am happy to find solution to some of my skin problems, at the same time i would like to know if there is home remedy for treating warts. i would be thankful to you because my mother has warts and we are trying our best to get rid of them but have not succeeded in our efforts.

Hi Ramya, really appreciate you for al the hard work and time you have put in to solve others problem. I live in Bangalore and have a 8yr old daughter. She too is facing a problem of unwanted hair on body and face. I find it very difficult to answer her when she asks as to why she has hair on her body whereas her friends dont have. I convince her saying its ok to have hair and will reduce off as she grows. But seriously i somehow need to help her. I read about your bath powder recipe. As i live in blore, its very difficult to find those herbs. Can u suggest what should i do. Is there any other recipe or other alternative? I also want to know that as she is already 8yrs, will these applications really help her in getting rid of unwanted body and facial hair? Kindly advice...

Hi Smitha, As far as I know, three ingredients are best natural hair removers. One is alum, second is turmeric and third is korai kilangu. Since she is only 8 years old, daily regular use of turmeric based bath powder will work well and in addition it will keep her skin blemish free. Although the herb list given is very effective, please don't worry if you can't find all the herbs, add the ones that you get. You can also include common herbs that are organically grown like mint, holy basil, etc.Try to include all the dry ingredients given and include organic herbs that you get and I am sure it will be very effective...

Hi Ramya, Very informative blog! My daughter (2yrs old) has very dry skin , I use organic body wash for her but was looking for some natural options. Could you please suggest if I can add moong dal as well to the above powder for her? Also, where can I find all these herbs in Bangalore? Are there shops which sells these?Also, my husband in mid 30s is suffering from premature greying (from late 20s) and now start of baldness as well. Any home remedy for that? Thanks!

Hi, Very sorry for the late reply. You can add moong dal to this mixture but it might reduce the shelf life of the powder. Try making small batches and sun dry the moong dal really well before powdering. Here in Tamil Nadu we get dried version of these herbs in naatu maruthu kadai (place which sells all the things required for pooja), you can try there or include the herbs that you can get in Bangalore. For premature greying ask him to use curry leaf oil from the blog regularly. As for baldness, if it is hereditary, ask him to include natural DHT blockers (the hormone that causes baldness) like saw palmetto, green tea and pumpkin seed oil regularly and ask him to use homemade hair packs (choose any one from the blog) to strengthen the hair roots and to prevent further hair loss...

Hey Ramya! Amazing blog you've got here! So happy to have found you! :)Question : Can we use nalangu maavu everyday for babies and kids? Should we first do a oil massage to prevent dryness? I live in a cold country and hence the question. Also can we completely skip soap this way? Why do babies need soap anyway?

I am so very glad that you find the blog useful :) Nalangu maavu can be used everyday for babies and kids for years and it does not have any side effects at all. Since you live in a cold country an oil massage before bath is a good idea. In my opinion this bath powder does a better job of removing the germs because of the herbs than regular soaps and soaps can be full eliminated (I was a regular soap maker too :))

Hi Ramya,I cant explain how ur remedies help us, its really great.thank u.My daughter is 6 yrs now, we r using dove soap ony for entire family, as we all have dry skin. can i use this nalangu maavu for her, n rose petal bath pwd for me?

Thanks for ur post on bath powder for babies..it's really helpful.. I m expecting mom and going to try this for sure.. My doubt is when to start using this powder? Is it safe to start for one week old baby..? Can we add rose petals and vasambu powder in this?

I am very sorry for the late reply. You can start using this powder when the baby is around 10 to 15 days old and it is perfectly safe. We never add vasambu powder to this bath powder but you can add dried rose petals...

Hello Ramya, Happy to read ur posts... I have a 1yr old daughter... She has a lot of hair on her upperlip, forehand, chin n cheeks... N her rest of the body is darker than her face... She also has dark undearm n neck... I m worried that it might get darker as she grows older... Please help me.. What should I do to reduce unwanted hair n uneven skin tone????

Hi, Since she is till very young, I would suggest using very little treatments on her skin. Try this homemade turmeric bath powder daily for her bath and with regular use it will gradually reduce the facial hair. You can also massage her skin with pure Aloe Vera gel everyday. Both these treatments will help her have a good skin tone...

Hi Bharathi, I am slowly in the process of collecting good online resources for all the ingredients I am using, hopefully I will update it in the blog soon. Meanwhile try in the shops that sell pooja & herbal ingredients in Mumbai (country medical shop)....

Hi Ramya your posts are really good.I love all using natural products only.so I love or posts.Myself Balbinder from kolkata I want to know how I can I remove body n face hair of my 2 year old daughter.pls help me.Happy to know that u r from Coimbatore as I'm also from Coimbatore. If I can get ur phone number n address I would love to meet u.N if u prepare any baby ubtan for hair removal pls do let me know as I would love to buy it.Bye n TC.Vanakkam.

Hi, I am so happy to know that you are interested in natural products too :) This ubtan is the best way to remove body n face hair for girls, since she is very young I would suggest using only ubtan (make it with the herbs that you can collect). I would surely let u know if I plan to sell it... :)

Hi Prathiba, Doctors say that hair loss in newborns are normal and nothing to worry about but still I would suggest talking to his pediatrician about it. Since he is still only 3 months old, I would suggest using only homemade coconut oil for him. Apply a few drops on your hand and gently massage it in. Try the homemade coconut oil from the blog, it is very pure, safe and gentle...

Hi Ramya - I love your blog! The amount of research you've done, and your knowledge, and the fact that you've personally tried all these is amazing!Can I skip the herbs you've mentioned here as the fresh leaves are very hard to find outside madras, and just make a bath powder with the turmeric varieties? I'm more interested in reducing the fine hairs on my 4 year old daughter's body. Can I also add nut grass, rose powder and mara manjal to this?Thanks!Mridula Udupa

Hi Mridula, I am very glad that you find the blog useful. If you can't find the herbs skip and add the ones that you can find in your place. You can add all the 3 ingredients that you suggested, with regular use the hairs will thin out and she will also rarely have any skin problems.....

I live in the US, and came across your lovely blog.My 3 year old daughter has a lot of facial and body hair. I have only Kasturi turmeric with me; is there any other recipe that I can use for the bath powder?ThanksTanya

Some one was asking for any remedy for babies having darker skin from chin to downwards. I am from Kerala, in kerala we used some thing called "Nalpamaradi" thailam from kottakkal ayurveda for babies. We give them a good massage with this before bath.This is followed by bath with bath powder and no soap.The oil stains, so need to take precaution for that. But the oil is highly effective to enhance the skin texture.

Now luxury ayurvedic brands are marketing their own expensive "nalpamaradi thaila " brands. But I am personally very satisfied with Kottakkal brand( some one has to clean the bathroom too soon after the ceremony :) else it will stain the bath tiles )

please let me know the measurement of the herb to be included in this bath powder and also can i include all the herbs mentioned by you. what is the benefits of these herbs on the babies skin. my baby is 15 months old.

one more thing ya... suggest me a home remedy to remove my baby's facial and body hair. She is 15 months old and till now i have not tried anything for her. I have not used any creams and lotions on her body. Till now I have used only pure oils like coconut, almond, castor etc to massage her before bath. Is there anything to apply on her skin after bath.

ooops till lots of ques going on in my mind.... cant scribble down all... this becomes lengthy and you may get bored of reading it....

next time with few other simple doubts

I need to mention you are doing a good great wonderful job... really i loved your blog

Dear Poorni, All the herbs mentioned have powerful antibacterial properties and greatly prevents skin infections of any sort. Regular use also ensures a good, even skin tone. Since she is only 15 months old, I would suggest using only pure homemade bath powder for her. Regular use will diminish the hair growth in the body and face. After her bath continue applying only pure unrefined oils, they are the best...

hello ramyai'm so happy to see all your information in the blocks.I need a help related to nannari veru.can we use it in nalangu maavu.if s,then how to use it..can you please help me in this?Than you.Prema

Hello ramya, i found this blog very useful i have a 3 months old girl baby for whom i have planned to bath with nalangu maavu. Saw yr blog n bought almost al the materials sun dried them.what i did not concentrate was the amount. Now my mixtutre looks dark as i used a cup full of karboga arisi n aavarampoo..rest v less quantity.. Will that affect the skin.i did nt test on my baby. And it also hve a v strong smell. What shall i add to balance the mixture. Can u pls help me with the proportiob of those materials?? Thanks in advance

1 cup of karboga arisi is way too much, please don't use it for the baby. I would suggest following the recipe given in the post and making a fresh batch. Use around 15 grams of each herb that you have chosen....

Hi RamyaI am from bangalore but not a South Indian. I came to know about Nalangu maavu from my sister and I want to make it for my 2 years baby girl. As I dnt know anything about these herbs except turmeric, will you plz suggest me from where can I get it ?

Thank you so much for your remedies. My son is 3 months old now and he is also having dry skin, Can we apply aloevera gel from 3 months itself? N also I'm searching many sites to find proper herbs for improving child health but in vain, it would be really helpful if you can provide the ingredients to 3 months baby. For now I'm using jaadhikai,kadukkai n vasambu during head bath.

You can apply Aloe Vera gel regularly for your baby, I started applying fresh Aloe Vera gel when my son was around 3 months as he had extremely dry skin too. Till the babies turn 6 months old, I would suggest using just plain homemade coconut oil both for the skin and hair(you can find the recipe in the blog) and this nalangu powder along with Aloe Vera massage, it will keep the skin blemish free. After bath immediately you can massage the skin with few drops of homemade coconut oil to prevent dryness. I will also try to post other remedies for babies very soon.

I wanna make this nalangu maavu and apply for my daughter..But she have some skin issues..She is suffering from atopic eczema and she have a dry skin..she used to suffer when there is a climate change like extreme cold/extreme hot..she suffered a lot when she was very young,now its under control..some times it flares out but not all the time...usually her skin folds,neck would be affected..Also she have hairs on her arms and legs..I use johnson and johnson top to toe wash for bathing her..aloevera based cream for moisturizing...

Is it advisable to apply this bath powder instead of bath lotion?Also she have a very low immune system..she catches cold easily when exposed to dust or people suffering from cold...

Pls advice me..what food should i give her to improve her immunity and if she catch cold,how should i treat it naturally..

Hi Ramya,i have 6 yrs old kid.. i am residing in bangalore. recently i am noticing darkness around her mouth . she is fair complextion and this darkness seems to be more evident. kindly give some suggestions to get rid of it.

White turmeric is kacholam or kachuram in some places and in other places known as mango ginger ( manga inji)/ amba haldi. mango ginger used for culinary purpose. And kacholam used for medicinal purposes. Both are different.

Hi Divya Sanjai and Ramya,Curcuma zedoaria, zedoary, white turmeric or kentjur is the name for a perennial herb and member of the genus Curcuma, family Zingiberaceae (from Wiki). It is known as Manja koova in Malayalam. you can buy it from angadi marunnu kada. dried Avaram poo powder also available in some stores. Yogi- is the name of the brand i saw.ThanksUnnuly

Hi Ramya, We the readers are really grateful to you. I was reading your blog for the last six months. whenever i get free, I used to surf through your blog. We also practise many home remedies. But the proof you give for each herb and the photograph with clear identification is extraordinary. I cant stop me from praising you for your posts.Super b!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Ramya,I have 2 kids, 5 year old daughter and one + old son. Can i use the nalungu mavu for both of my kids. Is she too old to use this? bcoz you mentioned that you used it for your son till he is four. Kindly reply fast. Since am in a short vacation, i will prepare it before it ends

I am so very sorry for the late reply, due to personal reasons couldn't answer any of the questions immediately. You can use the nalangu maavu for both of your children till they turn 10 or even longer. In fact I would recommend using it as long as possible...

Such a wonderful blog and very well explained. Can i use this for my 3month old baby boy?on a daily basis? Will skip the other majal varieties but Will the white turmeric stop his hair growth? Dont want my LO to curse me once he grows up :P

Such a wonderful blog and very well explained. Can i use this for my 3month old baby boy?on a daily basis? Will skip the other majal varieties but Will the white turmeric stop his hair growth? Dont want my LO to curse me once he grows up :P

Can we add vettiver & paneer rose petals to this nalangu maavu? I have a baby boy. Ill use a handful of all herbs, skip the manjal varieties except poolan kilangu (dry ingredients as per quantity u mentioned). Am i right?